Revenge
by imaginingInspiration
Summary: *1st story in this category* When Katniss returns home from the Hunger Games, she discovers that Prim and her mother are gone. They have been taken by the Capitol, and Katniss would do anything to get them back. Discontinued.
1. Home Sweet Home

**A/N:** I got the recommendation for this book off of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight website, and once I read this book, I was thought it was amazing :). I had to email fanfiction . net to get this category up. This fic is kind of a continual of The Hunger Games.

I started writing this fic to get a break off of my Harry Potter one, but feel free to check that one out too, if you read HP fics :D. Happy reading!!

**Disclaimer:** the Hunger Games belong to Suzanne Collins, and NOT to me.

* * *

_I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go._

Peeta and I emerged from the train into a… party. A chaotic, festive, _loud_ party. Never in the history of District 12 has there ever been a celebration this big, as far as I know of, but now that I think about it, never in the history of District 12 has there ever been two tributes returned alive in one year.

As we step out of the train, cameras and microphones are being shoved in front of us, and I grip Peeta's hand tighter, afraid that I will be swept into the crowd if I let go, almost forgetting that our relationship is a bit shaky at this point. He looks at our intertwined hands and a ghost of a smile creeps onto his pale face. A look of hope flickers into his eyes. I must have imagined it, because the next thing I knew, a huge, supposedly genuine grin is pasted onto his face, although the smile does not quite meet his eyes.

Suddenly, the crowd quiets slightly, and they clear a path for several people: the Mayor, our friends, and our loved ones. It's time for the Reuniting Ceremony.

As the small group approaches, I strain my eyes for my mother and Prim. There is no sign of them. I have no idea what to think of that. Should I be worried?

When the group gets closer, I see exactly who is there. The Mayor, Peeta's father, mother, brothers, and Gale. There is no sign of my mother and Prim. Huh. I start getting nervous.

Gale looks healthy enough, though a little weary. When he catches me staring, he grins, although it is a little strained. Something's definitely wrong.

The Mayor holds a microphone up to his mouth and instantly, the enormous crowd becomes silent.

He talks about what an honour Peeta and I have bestowed upon District 12, and how this year will be filled with good luck and prosperity for us all. I start to get a little fidgety by the time he has been talking for about ten minutes. Where is my family? Has something happened? I want to run up to Gale and ask for an answer, but Peeta's firm grip on my hand restrains me. He shoots a look into my eyes that is easily comprehended. Wait just a little bit longer. When the Mayor's _welcome back_ and _good luck with the rest of your life_ speech is over, he lets us run up to the people standing behind him.

Peeta's mother starts crying that "her baby is finally home" and the family gets into a big group hug. Several things are wrong with this.

First of all, Peeta's mother is one of the strongest and toughest women in District 12. Never has she shown such weakness by crying in front of a huge audience, like all the people of the district, and even the Capitol, as this reunion is televised.

Secondly, Peeta's family has never been the _huggish_ type. The whole family is normally very quiet and not at all into the whole _public display of affection_ thing. This situation is getting odder by the second.

When I approach Gale, I notice a few things different about him. He has a nasty looking scar across his face, and he definitely looks more tired and worn out than the last time I saw him. As he opens his arms for an embrace, I bury my face into his long shaggy hair. I whisper frantically to him. "Where is Prim? Where is my mother?!"

"Shh," he hisses. "Later."

I want to ask more questions, but I force myself to wait.

The mayor escorts us up a winding path and hands Peeta and I each a key. The keys to the entry gate- and our new homes in Victor's Village. When we enter the small "Village" or more specifically, the small street, I am in shock. There before me, are a dozen of the biggest, most beautiful houses I have ever seen. One of them will be mine. Each of them are slightly different; there is a bungalow, a back split, and a house that is built to resemble a castle, and many more. The Mayor points out a silver, dome shaped home in the middle of the row of houses on our left. "Haymitch's," he says. "You may choose any other house for yourself."

Peeta and I survey the houses lined up on both sides of the street. It was an unspoken agreement between us that we would be next door neighbours when the time came to select our houses. I do not know if this will hold, since the conversation between us on the train is still fresh in my memory. I am still confused. Could it be that Peeta really does care about me, and his declaration of love at his interview was the truth? Could every touch, every kiss in the arena be not only for the cameras and the sympathy of the sponsors?

"Katniss? What do you think?" Peeta whispers.

I am shaken out of my daydream and thoughts. I quickly take a closer look at the houses for something that catches my attention. Suddenly, I see it. Next door to Haymitch's dome, there is a long bungalow made of logs. I venture closer. The small group follows. As I step through the doorway, I am immediately hit with the scent of fresh pine and the forest. It reminds me of the old hunting days with only Gale, my father's bow and I. I know that this is the right one.

"This is mine," I say confidently, looking fondly at it.

"That means that is mine, then," Peeta says, pointing at the royal blue mansion next to my bungalow.

"Have fun exploring your new homes, then," the Mayor says. "You and your families are welcome to my house for a celebratory dinner tonight, if you desire to come."

--

After the Mayor leaves, Peeta's family bids us farewell as well, for they need to get back to work at the bakery. Peeta, Gale and I are left alone.

After waiting for the Mayor and Peeta's family to disappear from view, I immediately turn to Gale and ask him curiously, "Where is Prim and my mother?"

He sighs. "I'm not sure," he answers, almost sadly."The day after we discovered that you won, I went to deliver some food to them. A few guards, wearing red and black Capitol uniforms yelled at me to go away, and said that Prim and your mother had caught some rare disease and were quarantined."

I look at him in horror. "I have to see them!"

Gale shakes his head slowly. "They won't let anyone in. I can't help thinking that there is something wrong with this. Prim and your mother were fine the last time I saw them…"

"We have to get in. Tonight," I say firmly.

Gale and Peeta look at each other. I can tell that they may have doubts, but they do not have a choice. I have made up my mind, and they are coming with me.

--

After a few hours exploring our houses, we part ways to get ready for dinner at the Mayor's house. I dress casually, choosing plain green pants, a shirt, and sturdy leather boots from a huge selection of clothing delivered as a gift from Cinna and my Prep team. I cannot help staring at my "Katniss, the girl on fire" dresses hanging in my enormous walk- in closet, bringing back memories of that girl I was only a few weeks ago. I can't wear those fancy garments today, because Gale, Peeta and I plan to make our way to the Seam and my old home after the dinner. I stick a small flashlight into my pocket and hide a few throwing knives in my jacket. I hope that I will not need to use them.

My doorbell rings. I open the door to find Peeta there. "Are you ready?" he asks gruffly. I can tell that the act that he was putting on for the audience today is starting to wear thin.

I nod in reply.

--

Our walk down to the Mayor's house is quiet. The meal passes by in a blur. Everyone refuses to acknowledge my family's absence, and the only sound is the muffled chewing sounds of Peeta's brothers, and the polite conversation exchanged. When we finish eating, the Mayor stands up.

"Katniss, Peeta, I, on behalf of my family, have a gift for each of you in appreciation of your success."

We look up in surprise. What does the Mayor have to offer us?

"Katniss," the Mayor says. Madge, his daughter takes the oddly shaped package from her father's hands and passes it to me. As I finish unwrapping the gift, I stare at the Mayor in surprise.

In my hands is the most beautiful bow I have ever seen. The upper and lower limbs of the bow are made of some sort of light, rare metal that is shiny and silver… stainless steel, perhaps? The grip is made of a soft, tanned leather, and the arrows are silver, to match the bow, with soft mockingjay feathers on the end.

I am stunned. If the Capitol knew I was receiving this… the Mayor would surely be shot. "Thank you," is all I can utter in amazement.

Peeta's gift is a lot smaller. When he opens it, he finds a little bronze throwing knife. He nods his thanks.

After thanking the Mayor for his hospitality and the gifts, we step outside. As we leave, the Mayor grabs my hand and whispers in my ear, "Good luck finding your mother and sister, Katniss."

I look at him in surprise. "What do you know about my family?" I hiss. He does not answer. Instead, he waves goodbye and leaves me on his doorstep with a multitude of questions and a thirst for answers.

--

Peeta, Gale and I are hidden behind a bush in front of my house. I have my new bow slung over my shoulder, and Peeta has his knife. Gale has the bow I gave him, although we all really hope that our weapons will not be needed.

We had been observing the pattern of the guards walking past for the last hour or so.

We finally creep up closer. Inside, we see one lone light on in my bedroom, although the curtains are drawn.

"Let's go!" I whisper. We quietly run up to the door, both Gale and I wincing at Peeta's heavy steps. I reach into the clay pot beside me, and pull out a key, which I, as noiselessly as possible, slide into the keyhole. There is a small but defined _click_ as our entrance is granted. As inconspicuously as we can, we tiptoe up the stairs to the bedroom. As we walk through my home, I noticed that items were strewn across the floor messily. The television was smashed into pieces across the room. There was a layer of dust on everything.

Finally, we reach the bedroom. Gale's large body shivers in anticipation. I inhale deeply to calm myself. Preparing our minds and our weapons, I throw the door open. _What the hell...?_

"Rue!" I cry out. The small figure from District 11 turns slowly and glares at me menacingly with flashing red eyes. My mouth hangs open in shock and fear. I had temporarily forgotten that I had _seen_ Rue get speared to death in the arena.

"Ah, Katniss. I have been expecting you," she crows, her mouth curving up into a sly grin.

It is not the shock of seeing her that scares me. It is her voice. Or not _her_ voice. _Cato's _rough tone emanating from the sweet child, my first ally in the games, is just plain creepy. I cannot help it. I scream. What have they done to the body, to the mind of my… friend?

* * *

**What do you think? Please review if you think I should continue this story. Let me know what I can improve on, and feel free to PM or review if you have any suggestions on any of my fics. Thanks for reading!! :)**


	2. Thirteen

**Disclaimer: All of the characters and settings belong to Suzanne Collins, not I.**

In a flash, my bow is in my hand, strung with an arrow, pointing with deadly accuracy at Rue. Rue. I cannot bear calling that _thing_ with the same name as my ally. I begin calling the thing _It_ in my mind. It stands up and takes a small step towards us, ignoring the quivering weapons we hold.

"Where is my family?" I ask It harshly. I will not be able to bear it if anything happens to them, or has happened.

"You will see them soon enough," It laughs, a haunting laugh, that sends shivers up my spine.

I cannot hold my question in any longer.

"What has happened to you?" my question bursts out, a cry of anguish.

"I suppose I can tell you," It sighs. "After all, you will experience it first-hand soon enough…"

"What do you mean?!" I gasp out in shock. It can't mean what I think…?

"Only one question at a time!" It calls playfully, toying with me. I almost growl in frustration … until I realize that what I really need to know most is what has happened to my family, rather than what is to happen to me.

"When Rue died in the arena, the Capitol retrieved her body to work with in the Labs. They do the same to all of us… the scientists remove our eyes to implant into the bodies of the Muttations that they raised especially for the Games. They use our bodies and our brains for what they have been experimenting with for years… brain and body switches and transplants. I am the first out of thirteen to be successful… so you may address me as Thirteen on our journey to the Capitol." _Thirteen_ finishes almost smugly.

I manage to attempt to summon up all of the courage that has not taken flight on me.

"What makes you think I am coming with you?" I ask defiantly (I hope).

"You have to," Thirteen says confidently. "If you ever want to see your sister and mother again, you are coming with me."

My mind is awash with confusion. I am sure that going with Thirteen means certain death, or at least being condemned to a horror worse than death itself.

"It really is not that hard," Thirteen says, grinning cheekily. "Die today, right now, in this room, or see your family once more?"

He is right, the decision really is not as hard to make as I have imagined. I make up my mind.

I loosen my bow, and let the arrow fly straight through the air, straight at Thirteen's heart.

I whirl quickly turn around to leave, not even bothering to check if I hit Thirteen. There is no reason to. If I have hit it, it is dead. If I have not, I am probably dead.

-----

"Not so fast."

I slowly turn my head back around, my hand less then an inch away from the door handle.

Thirteen is standing feet slightly apart, right hand on hip and in the other hand, miraculously, and terribly, is the arrow that I had shot so carefully, the arrow that would have guaranteed Peeta, Gale and my safety. Thirteen had pulled the arrow mid flight out of the air.

Peeta and Gale. They have been ever so silent during this whole time. My now frightened, stormy gray eyes flicker to them. I need not have. They are both in a protective stance, not protecting themselves, but _me._ In a different circumstance, I might start laughing, because I am not normally the type to need protection, but now I understand their actions. They, as of the current time period, are in no immediate danger. I, on the other hand…

"You disappoint me, Katniss," Thirteen spits out, emphasizing the _K _on my name. "I will give you one more chance, however…"

Thirteen leaves no time to explain. It lunges at me.

I am aware of several things happening at once. Peeta and Gale react simultaneously, both attempting to jump at Thirteen. The window right behind all of them is smashed, and a smooth, pale hand reaches over and pulls herself up. It is Madge, the Mayor's daughter. She is wearing a pair of brown trousers and a plain, cotton shirt. Her blonde hair is hanging messily around her face. Hanging off of her back is a sheathed sword, the rubies embedded in the handle sparkling in the moonlight. Her eyes are filled with determination, nothing like the kind girl with the expensive clothes that gave me her gold Mockinggjay pin. Nobody has noticed her yet, in all of the commotion.

Thirteen reacts at an inhuman speed. It is not much of a fight. In one smooth move, the creature has one of its hands around Peeta's neck, and the other around Gale's. Rue's body was so lithe and petite, but now, under the control of Cato, or _Thirteen, _her tiny body now appears to have thousands of times more power.

I am frozen on my feet, unable to move, unable to comprehend.

Thirteen stares at me for a few seconds, her small mouth curving up into a maniacal grin.

"Here are your choices," Thirteen says. "If you run, both of your friends will die. If you come to the Capitol willingly, you can choose one of them to live, and I will kill the other one as a punishment for the act you did a few minutes ago."

It is my fault. I was the one who asked them for assistance. If it wasn't for me, they wouldn't be here. All I know is, I owe it to them to make sure they come out alive. I cannot leave them, even if I tried.

"Go!" Peeta whispers hoarsely. Both Peeta and Gale's faces are turning blue, and I know I will have to make my decision soon.

"I go with you," I say sadly, knowing that there is a very good chance that I will never return to District 12 again after this. I finally realize how much I love this old mining District, even though my whole life here has been fraught with poverty.

"Choose," Thirteen says, triumphant. "I will give you ten seconds,"

"Ten."

I try to think. I can't make the decision with so little time.

"Nine."

Should it be Gale, my loyal hunting partner and best friend?

"Eight."

Or should it be Peeta, the confusing boy who- might- care for me, the boy who gave me bread when I needed it so many years ago?

"Seven."

As my mind is whirling with thoughts, I am hyperaware of Madge creeping up behind Thirteen, her eyes telling me to remain oblivious to the fact that she there.

"Six."

Is there hope then? Will I not have to condemn one of my friends to death? Will Madge save us all?

"Five."

It happened.

Madge- with the speed and grace never revealed before in her life, raises her arms, holding the ruby encrusted sword in both hands. Almost in slow motion, she stabs forwards, straight between the shoulder blades of Thirteen. With a wordless cry, Thirteen plunges forward, a spray of blood spewing out from the fresh wound.

Thirteen lands on my bedroom floor, and is still at last.

As Peeta and Gale immediately start catching their breath, I look at Madge.

"Thanks," I say sincerely. "You have some explaining to do, though."

"Not right now," she replies. "They are going to be here soon. Come with me. Hurry."

With that, Madge jumps out of the window. When I look to see where she went, I see her climbing skillfully down the tree that is right beside my room. She motions for Peeta, Gale and I to follow.

We look at each other and shrug. With one last sad, fleeting look at the body of Rue, my friend, sprawled facedown on the floor in a puddle of red blood, we climb out of the house, and into the cold, night air.

-----

**A/N: There's the next chapter!!! It was a bit hard to write, with the whole Rue/Cato/Thirteen mixed-gender thing :P **

**Thanks to my reviewers for chapter 1 :) You guys are great!!!**


	3. We Run

**Disclaimer: The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins, not I (obviously :P)**

* * *

We run. We do not know who from, or what from, all I know is that I must get answers; and Madge seems to be the one who has them. Running down the main street of Victor's Village, I can hear very clearly the sound of the wind whispering past, and the soft thudding of our shoes against the gray pavement. The sound is uneven. I am slightly thrown off by the syncopation in the unsteady rhythm of our steps…

Suddenly, I remember. Peeta! I recall the metal and plastic device, that prosthetic leg that I saw during the interview. He must not be that used to it yet. I cannot believe that I had, in all of the events of the past few hours, forgotten that my friend might be in pain.

I rearrange our awkward formation of the diamond, which is led by Madge, her strides confident, but her clear eyes observant, and followed by Gale, on my left, his light steps nearly silent, from all our practice not chasing game away in the forest, his strong legs pumping hard to keep up with Madge's flawless sprint. I slow down slightly, and settle into a slower run, right beside Peeta.

He has a slight sheen of sweat on his pale forehead. His weariness is evident, shown from the lack of the usual sharpness in his eyes, and the way he seems to be dragging his feet along, which mightily contrast to Madge's crisp steps.

"Are you alright?" I whisper to him, while slowly breathing the cool air in, then out, and relishing in the feel of the oxygen flowing into my lungs.

"I'm… fine…" he half whispers, half croaks out. His lips are parched, and he is slowing down even more, to my immense dismay. That's when we hear it.

The sound of motor running, high above our heads, distracts me from questioning Peeta on his strength. Suddenly, our path is no longer only illuminated by the soft glow of the street lamps, but also by a harsh red light that is blinding. I look up, and gasp. It's a helicopter… similar to the one that retrieved Peeta and I from the arena.

Madge turns her head, looks up, and grimaces.

"Keep running! We have to make it to my house," she shouts, over the noise of the helicopter. We can almost feel the sound vibrations in the earth, right through our tanned, leather shoes. Each minuscule vibration sends a jolt of fear into my heart. If those people that did such a horrible thing to Rue are after me, I don't want to know what will happen if I get caught.

I hear a thud from beside me, and turn to look. Peeta has fainted into a heap on the ground.

The helicopter is getting closer and closer to ground level. I know that it can see us, as we are in plain sight. In the bright light, I feel vulnerable.

Madge looks over at Peeta, laying on the ground, and curses quietly under her breath. We stop running.

"Can you carry him?" she asks Gale. Gale looks around nervously. We do not have much time left. I have recently sensed some sort of rivalry between Gale and Peeta, and at this moment, I hope that it will not cost us our lives.

*****

"Gale… Pick. Him. Up." Madge says through gritted teeth, looking into the sky nervously.

Gale finally gets shocked from his stupor, as I whack him hard on the arm. He is the only one here strong enough to carry Peeta. I still remember from the arena, my attempts to drag him to safety. He heaves Peeta over his shoulders like a sack of flour, and we dash as quickly as we can, as we reach the entrance gate to Victor's Village.

"Stay in the shadows!" Madge hisses as we travel from a beautifully paved street to the rougher roads of District 12. We duck and try to sneak our way along the narrow sidewalk, behind a row of shrubs, in an attempt of avoiding being continually tracked by the helicopter, which is drawing nearer every passing second.

Suddenly, Madge stops and crouches, right behind a big, green bush, and, with her hands, brushes the dry, brown leaves off of the ground, revealing a wooden trapdoor, which she shoves open hastily. Motioning for us to follow, she jumps in, landing with a soft _thump_ where I can barely see. Then I realize… I haven't heard the helicopter for the past few minutes. Where could it have gone?

I hesitate. I am still confused, and I do not know who to trust. Madge, so far, has helped us so much, slaying that horrible creature in my house, and helping our escape, but… what if it is a trap? What if it is all an elaborate plot to… do what? Thirteen had mentioned that the Capitol wanted me…

All of a sudden, my senses, still sharp from the past weeks, pick up the near-silent sound of multiple people running. I crouch and peer cautiously over the bush, making sure that I remain hidden, to see a bit less then a dozen rough looking men inching forward quietly, but terrifyingly, looking confused. There is no doubt; they are looking for us. Luckily, I do not think we have been discovered yet. There is no more time for caution.

I jump into the hole.

*****

I land softly in a huge pile of crunchy leaves. I have only dropped several feet, but it is pitch black around me. A second later, Gale falls through the trapdoor, pulling it closed behind him. I look around. We are in a narrow tunnel, which is covered in damp, brown earth. On either side of the tunnel, there are dim, circular lights embedded within the dirt, illuminating the winding path before us.

"Come on," I say to Gale, and continue through the tunnel, following Madge, who is far in front.

We jog to catch up with Madge, who is hunched over as we are to fit into this damp, musty place. It is fortunate that I am not claustrophobic, as the sides of the tunnel are close together. Soon after, the ceiling slants down so low that we have to crawl on our hands and knees in the dirt.

At last, we reach our destination… a small, square wooden door, no taller then the distance between my feet and my knees. Madge pulls out a black key, and inserts it into the keyhole. She then grabs onto the small, rusty handle, attatched to the door, pulls it back, and is about to crawl through, when she suddenly freezes and tells us to be silent.

We listen for a few seconds, and then we hear it. A quiet, shuffling sound from a bit behind us… but too close for our comfort.

"GO!" I hiss frantically.

Madge crawls through the door, as Gale shoves Peeta at her. She and Peeta tumble down, and Gale follows. Just as I see the shadow, the dark silhouette of a person around the corner, I dive through the door, and Madge reaches up, slamming it shut behind me, and locks it. A second later, someone is banging on the door I just went through.

* * *

**A/N: Whew. I FINALLY finished chapter 3 after redoing it several times... I think for my future stories, I will try pre-writing the whole thing, because I know my updates can't be regular (which I apologize for).**

** Anyways, a thing about the reviews... I dislike flames, so please try not to flame my stories. I would really appreciate it. :)**

**I hope everyone is having a fabulous holiday, and a Merry Christmas to you all (for those who celebrate it, anyways).**

**Review?(: **


	4. The Story

**A/N: YES!!! I have finally updated :) This is the longest chapter so far, so I hope you enjoy it. **

* * *

I land awkwardly on a thick, woolen rug, and then get to my feet. Madge also scrambles to her feet hurriedly, pulling Peeta up as well. He is still unresponsive. I cannot help but wonder how he became unconscious so quickly; it is highly unusual for someone treated by the skilled scientists and doctors, with their lab-created medicines in the Capitol to suffer much, for the treatment helps heal them very quickly. The pain is not supposed to linger.

I recall from awhile ago, when I was maybe eleven years old, when the Mayor had fallen ill. He didn't allow any visitors, so all of the children badgered Madge for information. All that she would reveal was that her father had unbearable stomach pains. None of the local medicines, nothing from the apothecaries could heal him, or make him feel better. It was rumored that the Mayor of District 12 was nearly at his deathbed. He had, at the last minute, been shipped off to the Capitol for treatment, and had come back in several hours, possibly looking even healthier then he had before he had fallen ill.

Madge turns her head to the right, and looks at the small door that we had just come through several seconds ago. We wince as we hear sharp, continuous, accented kicks as the impact of the boot of the person that managed to follow us down the tunnel attempts to shatter the wooden door. Madge grabs a hold of an iron bar, which she uses to reinforce the door.

"It should hold," Madge whispers.

I take a moment to view our surroundings. We are in a large, but crowded room that is dimly lit with bare light bulbs on the ceiling, which is crisscrossed with wooden beams. There are many brown cardboard boxes as well as crates, stacked one atop each other in awkward, near toppling piles. Apart from the maroon, woolen rug we stand on, the floor is covered in rough, grey cement.

"We are almost there," Madge says. Gale shuffles to his feet, picking Peeta up again, and we follow Madge on the final part of our journey to our destination, and hopefully safety.

*****

Madge leads us up a short flight of wooden steps. One of them creaks under Gale and Peeta's combined weight.

At the top of the stairs, there is a wooden panel. Madge reaches out, turns the handle, and pulls it towards her. When we emerge into the next room, I recognize it immediately. It is the dining room, where we had eaten earlier that day. I turn around to look at the door that we had just come through. All I see is smooth white wall. There appears to be no crease, no indication that there was even a door at all.

At the head of the table in the middle of the room, is the mayor of District 12. I had a feeling that he had something to do with this. He had been withholding information earlier.

"You did well, Madge. I knew that you wouldn't fail," the Mayor said with a smile. Then he notices Peeta, and his smile drops. "What's wrong with him?"

"He fainted while we were running," Madge said to her father.

"It may have been something to do with his leg," I say to the Mayor. "It was giving him a bit of trouble earlier."

"Do you think that the Capitol inserted something while you and Peeta were recovering?"

"I do not know. They might have," I say uncertainly. "Why him, though? Why not me?"

Madge and her father exchange glances.

"We will tell you everything we know after you have rested. You are safe here, for now." The Mayor says. He then calls two servants of the house, a man and a woman; one to lead us to our rooms, and the other to carry Peeta out of the room.

"I will get somebody to examine him," the Mayor assures us. "All of your questions will be answered tomorrow."

With that, the Madge and Mayor follow the servant carrying Peeta out of the room, and Gale and I follow the other servant, a woman with wispy brown hair upstairs, to our rooms.

Upstairs, the hallways are as well furnished as the rest of the house. The floor is covered with hardwood, and the smooth walls are lined with elaborate paintings.

The servant leads us to two rooms, across the hall from each other, bids us a good night, and walks briskly back down the hallway.

I am tired. Really tired. The adrenaline rush of the chase fading, I give Gale a quick hug, muttering that we will work everything out tomorrow. I stumble into the bedroom, my surroundings blurring around me. I take a few seconds to pull the quiver of arrows and my bow off of my shoulders, kick off my shoes, and I throw myself onto the soft, white, feather bed.

I am asleep before my head hits the pillow.

*****

I sit up groggily the next morning. There is bright sunlight streaming through the window above the wooden headboard of the bed above my head, bathing my face in warmth and light. I crack open my eyes. At first, I am slightly disoriented. Where am I? Then I remember.

I am at the Mayor's house, in District 12. My mother and sister have been kidnapped, and taken to the Capitol, held as hostages. The Capitol wants me. Madge is not a shy, quiet, proper girl as I once thought she was… she is a fierce fighter that knows a lot more about what is happening than I do. Now that I think about it, she wouldn't have done so badly in the Hunger Games, after all. Now I know why she kept to herself so much at school- she didn't want everybody to know what she is capable of. But… why? Why would she hide it? Maybe for the same reason that she didn't flaunt the fact that she was the daughter of the Mayor- the richest, most powerful man in District 12- she didn't like the attention that came with it, perhaps.

I quickly roll out of the bed, and silently shuffle across the floor. There is a stack of clothing outside of the door for me… unluckily, it is a light, pink dress with ruffles at the bottom. It must have been Madge's, left there either by a completely ignorant servant, or as a practical joke. I shake my head, instead choosing to keep wearing the clothes I have on, which, unfortunately is soaked in dried sweat from running, and is a bit crumpled from sleeping in it. After tying my dark hair in a long braid down my back, I put on my shoes, grab my bow and quiver, and walk across the hallway to knock on Gale's door. A few seconds later, I hear footsteps coming towards me, and the door opens with a small creak, revealing Gale towering above my head. His black hair is slightly disheveled, making it evident that he had just woken up.

He opens his arms up for a hug, and grins down at me, his arm muscles flexed, holding me close to him. When he finally releases me, he looks happy, his grey eyes twinkling.

"Let's go get something to eat," he says, patting his stomach. He reaches for my hand, and pulls me down the hallway, descending the stairs, and finally back into the dining area.

At the table, Madge and the Mayor are already seated. They bid us good morning, and two chairs are pulled out for us to sit in, which we do so promptly. The table is set with several platters of food, nothing fancy. There is a plate with a fresh loaf of crusty bread, a plate with slices of creamy, yellow cheese, and a clear, glass pitcher of juice.

"How is Peeta?" I ask, reaching out for the bread.

The Mayor sighed. "After doing a few x-rays and being checked over by some of the local doctors, we discovered the Capitol inserted some sort of device into his leg that puts him in pain at their command. Basically, they made an attempt to slow you four down while you were running, by activating the device. It must have been too much for him, therefore, he became unconscious. Right now, he is in stable condition, though heavily sedated, but we need to remove the prosthetic leg to get rid of the Capitol's device. You will have to stay here for a couple of days, at the most, for him to recover."

"But… what about my mother? And Prim?" I cry out indignantly. "The Capitol has them!"

The Mayor exchanges a glance with Gale and Madge.

"Tell her the story," Gale says quietly. "She has to know."

I look at Gale sharply. "You know what's going on?"

Madge nods. "He is now as deeply involved as my father and I are."

The Mayor inhales, then exhales with a deep sigh. "All right. I have a story to tell you, a story that only several people from each District know. A story that you can only tell to those of whom you trust with your life."

I nod, to show that I understand.

"You know of how the Hunger Games came to be, right? Panem, at war with itself, the Districts trying to overthrow the Capitol. The place where the decisions are made. The place which holds all of the power. The thirteen Districts wanted a council, with representatives from each District making the decisions together. Those from the Capitol on the current council were unwilling to give up their power for the lesser peoples of the Districts. The Capitol brought together a great force, and defeated the District army. The single Capitol had enough power to defeat thirteen Districts, all working together."

I nod, having heard all of this before at school, in history.

"While the Districts were broken, having lost many friends and family members in the war, the Capitol brought forth the Hunger Games. The message couldn't have been clearer: Mess with us, and we'll do something worse than kill you- we'll kill your children. Some Districts glorified the games, in an attempt to stifle the pain that it really produced."

The Mayor shakes his head slightly, and then continues.

"That was seventy-four years ago. When I was a lad of seventeen years, my thirteen year old younger brother, Lorn, was selected as a tribute for the Hunger Games. I was dismayed, although I was not brave enough to volunteer, as you did, Katniss."

He has a sad look on his face, and rakes his fingers through his hair with a sigh, before talking again.

"He didn't even make it past the first day. I watched in horror as he was brutally slaughtered at the Cornucopia, right in front of my eyes, and the eyes of the rest of his family and friends. That was when I became determined: nobody should endure death by the hand of the Capitol, under the mask of a game. Nobody should have to watch their friends and family die, for the sake of punishment for the rightful actions of their Districts before they were even born. Nobody should have to participate in the Hunger Games. After years of research, hunting, and luck, I finally found and joined them: the Rebels, the people from each District that still believe that there should be representatives from each District ruling Panem, as opposed to a council of people of the Capitol only. We have sat in wait for years, waiting for the right moment to pounce, to wait for the Capitol to have a weakness. We learned from the previous Rebellion many years before, that sheer force cannot defeat the Capitol, with their technology and abundance in weapons. No, we needed somebody to threaten the Capitol. Somebody that everyone could love. Somebody that was in the right position to do serious harm to the Capitol. Somebody like you, Katniss."

"Me." I say numbly. I, of course, knew that I would attract all kinds of attention from the Capitol from the stunt that Peeta and I pulled. Haymitch had anticipated that the Capitol would try to get revenge somehow. I didn't really expect to become part of some _rebellion, _however.

"You. You want the Hunger Games to end, once and for all, don't you?" the Mayor asks.

"Of course," I say.

"Whether you like it or not, you are already involved. By standing up to the Capitol, you have given hope to the Rebels, as well as countless citizens of Panem. More and more people are joining our cause, and with every person that joins, the Capitol loses power that they hold over them. The Capitol knows this, so they took whatever possible hold they could have over you, in hope that you wouldn't sacrifice what you love for the good of Panem. They kidnapped your mother and sister, and made Peeta suffer. If the Capitol destroys you, they destroy the first hope that the Rebels and Districts have had in seventy-four years."

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**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews :) They make my day, and help me so much with my inspiration, grammar, and writing in general. I got 14 reviews for chapter 3, so keep up the good work, guys!**

**I would especially like to thank S.N. Black for giving me 3 nice, long, extremely helpful reviews.(:**

**Constructive criticism is always welcomed, but remember, no flaming, please. :)  
**

**A few more things:**

**- I actually like Peeta & Gale about the same, so I'm not sure which way the story should go. So if you have a preference, in your review, let me know if you would like Katniss to end up with Gale or Peeta, and the reason (if applicable)**

**- I am thinking of changing the title of this story (it doesn't fit as well as I would like it to), so if you would like, give me a suggestion of what you think would be a good title. Thanks :)**

**Press the button with the pretty lime green lettering? (Does anyone miss the purple review button? :P)  
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	5. Their Lives Depend on It

**Disclaimer: The Hunger Games belong to Suzanne Collins. Obviously.**

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From the last chapter:

"_Whether you like it or not, you are already involved. By standing up to the Capitol, you have given hope to the Rebels, as well as countless citizens of Panem. More and more people are joining our cause, and with every person that joins, the Capitol loses power that they hold over them. The Capitol knows this, so they took whatever possible hold they could have over you, in hope that you wouldn't sacrifice what you love for the good of Panem. They kidnapped your mother and sister, and made Peeta suffer. If the Capitol destroys you, they destroy the first hope that the Rebels and Districts have had in seventy-four years."_

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I do not know what to think. Of course, I want the Hunger Games to end. The horror and death I had seen during the Games was something that no person should ever endure… but what about Prim and my mother? I do not know if I could ever sacrifice my family. I was willing to sacrifice myself for Prim. Could I let Prim die, after all I had been through in her place?

"You, "I say to Gale. "How exactly are you involved?"

Gale turns his head towards me, and looks me straight in the eye. He sighs, and rubs his eye with the back of his hand, before answering me.

"On the day of the Reaping, after you went off to the Capitol, I felt angry. Angry at the Capitol, for creating the games. I didn't want to think that I might not ever see you again. I went to the woods to hunt, to get some more food to feed both our families… when she came to get me."

"Who?" I ask sharply.

He looks over at Madge, and I know who it was before he even speaks. I see his eyes almost soften as he looks at her, although when I blink, that look is gone. I can't be sure of what I saw. However, that is unimportant at the moment.

"It was Madge." He says.

At this point, Madge interrupts. "I saw his expression as he left the Justice Building. He was furious at the Capitol. He had always hated it for the games, and how it put children throughout Panem at risk. It really hit him though, after you volunteered, that something really needed to be done."

At this point, Gale speaks again.

"You're as much a part of my family as my brothers and sisters are. I was prepared to tear the Capitol down with my bare hands if that was what it took to get you back."

"Fortunately, I was able to convince him not to," says Madge. "Instead, I got him to join the Rebellion."

"Not that I have really done anything though," Gale interjects, "with my family and all to take care of."

"Well, every single person that is a part of this cause is important," says the Madge, looking him in the eye, before hastily looking down, looking slightly embarrassed.

I think for a moment before speaking.

"What am I going to do?"

I honestly have no idea. How am I going to rescue Prim and my mother? How am I going to 'bring hope to the Rebels'?

The Gale and Madge exchange glances. Gale sighs, and then replies softly, "I don't know."

"What… do you mean, you don't… know?!" I stutter. How could they not know? I thought they had a plan or something!

"It's not that easy," says Gale. "Somehow, we have to rescue Prim and your mother without getting caught, get you out in front of the all of Panem to get them all to support our cause."

"Why don't I just walk into the Capitol, and demand Prim and my mother back? They can't kill me. That would just incite a rebellion, which is what they don't want, right?" I ask.

"That won't work," says Madge, looking at me. "They will make your death seem like an accident or something instead. You can't just waltz into the Capitol like that."

The mayor looks at Madge sharply, a warning glance. She stares defiantly back. I look back and forth between them, noticing their silent argument. The mayor cocks his head to the side, unspoken words speaking all too clearly to Madge. Finally, she looks downwards, and the corners of her father's mouth quirk up, in a triumphant smirk.

"We'll think of something," says the Mayor, now looking at me, with a calm sort of finality- letting me know that the conversation is over.

The remainder of the meal is eaten in silence. Afterwards, I stand up and leave the table, grabbing my weapons from beneath the table, where I had stashed them. My emotions and thoughts are reeling in a tangled, unorganized mess within my head. The conversation from before is replaying itself in my mind, over and over.

Could I trust them… that is my first thought. So much depends on if their story is valid. It is, indeed, plausible that they were telling the truth. They, however, could also be lying, and attempting to gain my trust, to betray me to the Capitol in some twisted way. Gale though…. Gale would never do that. He wouldn't betray me. I trust him. Therefore… the mayor and Madge _must_ be telling the truth if they had gained Gale's trust. They must be.

I make my way back up to my bedroom, and look out the window, through the clear glass at least a centimeter thick. The sun is still shining, and from this view, I can see it; District 12 spread out, right in front of my eyes.

I can see Victor's Village, with its fine, large houses, where I had, just yesterday, selected my own. It is surrounded by a wooden fence, and elaborate gateway. I can see the Seam, with the older looking buildings and dirt pathways, the place where I had grown up, the place where I had run from Thirteen. Off in the distance, I can see the woods where Gale and I hunted, where I was truly happy.

Suddenly, I feel a light hand tap my shoulder, and I turn around, to find Gale smiling down at me.

"How's it going, Catnip?" he says with a grin.

"I'm not quite sure," I say truthfully. After a brief pause, I ask him, "How do you know you can trust the mayor and Madge?"

"I… don't really know," he replies, "But they have the same goal I do. They want to end the Hunger Games, once and for all."

His tone of voice suggests that there may be another reason, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

We stand there, for a minute, him and I, just looking out the window, his arm wrapped protectively around my waist. I feel oddly comforted.

The serenity is broken, as Gale starts talking again.

"Katniss… I have to ask you something. About Peeta." He turns me to face him, and places his hands on my shoulders. He takes a deep breath before continuing. "I know this may not be a good time… but I was wondering, what is going on between you two. Are you fighting? Did he do something?"

"No!" I say, a little too quickly. "Everything's alright." I flash a small, quick smile. I don't know why I just lied to him. I've _never_ lied to Gale. Ever.

"Are you sure? I mean-"

"It's fine." I snap, and turn away from him. Why does he need to know anyways?

Gale sighs, and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

Thinking about my relationship with Peeta should be the least of my worries right now. I need to focus on finding a way to rescue Prim and my mother. Their lives depend on it.

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**A/N: That was a bit of a filler chapter, and I admit, probably not that exciting. I would appreciate grammar corrections and such, because I am sure that my editing with a headache didn't do so great :P **

**Review? :)**

**- another thing... suggestions are always welcome, so if you would REALLY like something to happen, just let me know (but it would have to fit in with the plot I have in mind)  
**


	6. The Plan

**AN: No way! It can't be... an update? :O  
**

**So, some of you guys are either completely pissed off at me, or have completely forgotten about me. That's understandable. There are so many reasons I haven't updated, and I don't think you guys want to be bored with the details... well, if you do, just let me know :P**

**I'm not sure how many of you will still read this, since Catching Fire came out a few days ago (I'm actually reading it right now, it's pretty good). I'm going to continue this story nevertheless, since I'd feel like I was really letting everyone else (including myself) down. **

**By the way, I was surprised how much of this story reminds me of the actual sequel. At least they are drastically different, in more ways then one.**

** Well, enjoy the chapter... and please don't freak out at me in the reviews? I already feel REALLY bad for not updating earlier.  
**

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**From the past chapters (in case you don't feel like rereading the whole thing)**

**Chapter 1: We discover that Prim and her mom have been taken by the Capitol.**

**Chapter 2: Madge rescues Peeta, Gale and Katniss from Thirteen, the muttation that is basically Cato who looks like Rue.**

**Chapter 3 & 4: "I am at the Mayor's house, in District 12. My mother and sister have been kidnapped, and taken to the Capitol, held as hostages. The Capitol wants me. Madge is not a shy, quiet, proper girl as I once thought she was… she is a fierce fighter that knows a lot more about what is happening than I do.****" Madge, Peeta, Gale and Katniss run to the Mayor's house, where they find out that Peeta had something implanted within his leg by the Capitol to cause him pain at their will. ****"Whether you like it or not, you are already involved. By standing up to the Capitol, you have given hope to the Rebels, as well as countless citizens of Panem. More and more people are joining our cause, and with every person that joins, the Capitol loses power that they hold over them. The Capitol knows this, so they took whatever possible hold they could have over you, in hope that you wouldn't sacrifice what you love for the good of Panem. They kidnapped your mother and sister, and made Peeta suffer. If the Capitol destroys you, they destroy the first hope that the Rebels and Districts have had in seventy-four years."**

**Chapter 5: We find out that Katniss is putting finding her family before sorting out her relationship with Peeta. **

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The next day starts out almost exactly as before, except that there is a thin layer of condensation on my window, instead of a clear view. I wipe off a small part with my sleeve, getting my brown shirt wet, and look outside. The sky is stormy grey, and it is slightly warm outside. There is going to be rain this afternoon.

I get changed, and the second that I reach the bottom of the stairs, a dark haired servant runs up to me, breathing heavily.

"Miss, the patient has woken up. He's been calling for you."

I look at her, surprised. "Peeta's awake already?"

"Yes. Can you please follow me?" she says, before hurrying off to a set of ornate wooden doors leading to a wing of the house that I've never been in.

I slowly follow, both reluctant to see him, and wanting ever so badly to. I had convinced myself yesterday that Peeta was not my priority; Prim and my mother was. Would seeing him tempt me to shift my views?

We walk up a flight of steps, and down another corridor. This one has a marble floor, with a forest green carpet running down the middle of it. The walls are covered in intricately woven tapestries of scenes of the woods. Among the many I walk past, I see a deer running through trees and bushes as well as a small grove in the middle of a forest with colourful wildflowers blooming. I feel oddly at ease in this hallway; it reminds me of the past hunting days in the woods.

Finally, the she halts in front of a white door, and knocks quietly.

"Come in!" says a low, male voice from inside.

She opens the door, and beckons for me to enter, then turns around and closes the door behind her.

I cautiously walk to the center of the room, where Peeta is laying on a large feather bed, his eyes closed. His chest rises and falls with every steady breath. He's covered by a colourful, woolen blanket. The white room we are in is wide, and simply furnished. Kneeling beside the bedside table, a handsome blond haired doctor removes his hand from Peeta's forehead.

"He is recovering quickly. In a few more days, he should be back to normal," the doctor says, while quietly walking out of the room, leaving Peeta and I alone.

Peeta's eyes slowly open, the once bright blue eyes appearing duller in his weakened state.

"Katniss," he whispers hoarsely.

"I'm here." I say… walking to the side of his bed, and sinking to my knees beside him.

He reaches his hand over, and I grasp is gently with my hand.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

"Horrible." he answers back.

There is an awkward silence.

"I hate this place," Peeta whispers suddenly. Unexpectedly.

"Why?" I ask, confused. "Madge and her father have helped us so much, and their house is huge…"

"No! That's not what I mean," Peeta rambles. "I'm talking about how much I hate the world we live in right now. Before I got selected to compete in the games, I always thought; how can people kill others, knowing that they may have friends, family, a _life_ like their own? Then when I went into the arena, I found out that … they didn't care. They didn't care at all. Even my own thoughts slowly slipped away during that time. I would have been willing to kill, willing to do anything… to protect you."

My face slowly flushes as I take in his words. I find myself drowning in his eyes, which seem to be suddenly lit by a fire, and pulling me in towards him. He grips my hand tighter, and wraps his other hand around my neck, gently, drawing me in the final inches until our lips connect, and I am enveloped in a feeling of bliss.

"I want to stay here forever," I think. Peeta's kiss is passionate, his lips seeming to hunger for mine. This is different from his kisses in the arena, much different. He seems to be searching for something, and I have no doubt what that is. I remembered how my comments from after the Games had stung him, how he found out that Haymitch had coached me about how to act around him. How I wasn't even sure myself afterwards, how much I was pretending, and how much I wasn't. Now, I have no doubts. There is no way, no way that the way that this feels right now could be me acting. I'm not in the ring anymore, and there are no cameras following our every move. I react to his touch with equal fervor. Then… I remember Prim. And my mother. They need to be rescued, and I am sitting here with Peeta?

"I can't," I whisper, pulling away from him. "I'm sorry." I close my eyes and sigh. When I open them, I am surprised, it is not a hurt look in his eyes, but an angry one.

"Why?" he asks. "I felt that! I know _you_ felt it too."

I don't answer. I know I felt it, that spark that existed between us.

"I'm leaving soon. Once I have a plan. You can't come," I say, standing up.

I turn around to leave, but Peeta catches my hand once again in his.

"I'll follow you," he whispers fiercely. "If you leave without me, I will follow you. All the way to the Capitol."

*****

Several days pass by slowly. I don't visit Peeta, although I hear from Madge that his leg had been replaced, and he can limp around a bit now. Everyone in the household seems to be giving me space to think… though it is not helping. I am no further along with my plans than I was on the first day. I am frustrated; I understand the urgency in making a move, any move. The ball is in my court, in this deadly game between me and the Capitol; and it is my turn to do something.

Finally, on the evening of the fifth day, Madge and Gale corner me while I am on my favourite chair in the house, a sturdy wooden chair with a soft, red velvet cushion, where I do most of my thinking. Coincidentally, it is right across the hall from Peeta's room. Madge is carrying a huge cardboard box in her arms, and Gale is holding onto… a portable table? The words that come out of Madge's mouth are what I have been thinking for the past few days.

"You have to do something."

I nod.

"Gale and I came up with a plan."

"Wait… you aren't coming! I'm going by myself. I can't put you guys in danger like that!" I say.

Madge looks at me incredulously. "You weren't seriously planning on breaking into the Capitol and waltzing out with your mother and Prim by yourself, were you?"

"Well… something along those lines, yes," I say. Now I realize that they are right. What the hell am I thinking, that I can do this all by myself?

"Anyways, we have a plan that we think can work," Gale says. He unfolds the gray plastic table, and Madge turns the box over, spilling maps, pens, and sheets of paper hastily written on onto it.

"The first thing is, what we were thinking before won't work." Gale says. "We can't rescue your mother and Prim before inciting the Rebellion. We have to do it the other way around."

"NO!" I burst out. Prim and my mother could be killed, and we are starting the Rebellion first? The Rebellion has waited for so many years already, it could wait until I rescue my family.

"Wait, Katniss. I know what you're thinking," Gale says hastily. "Just listen to our plan first."

With difficulty, I hold my tongue. I can afford to listen to what they will say. It isn't like _I_ have any idea what I'm going to do.

"So… the key is… Caesar Flickerman," Madge says.

"Yeah? What about him?" I ask, confused.

"He's a member of the Rebellion," Gale answers.

"But isn't he from the Capitol?"

"He is," Madge confirms. "He's on our side, though. Working undercover for years."

"What you have to do," Gale says, "is get to him. Tell him what's happening. He's in charge of all the television stuff. If you somehow get him to let you speak to Panem, and you tell everyone everything, everything about Peeta and his leg, and how the Capitol sent people after you, how the Capitol took Prim and your mom… that should start off the Rebellion."

"But… what if the Capitol kills Prim and my mother anyways? Out of revenge?" I ask. "There would be nothing stopping them, if the Rebellion has already started."

"Katniss," Gale says seriously. "I'm sorry, but there is no way that you can rescue them before we take over the Capitol. They're sure to be locked up and guarded really well. Too well. A few of us can't defeat the Capitol's best security guards."

"We'll just have to hope that the Capitol won't kill them," Madge adds. "unfortunately, there is nothing else we can do."

"There must be!" I protest feebly. Inside, I know that they're right. It's hard enough just to get _into_ the Capitol. Rescuing Prim and my mother… that's another thing. Their plan would be nearly impossible… but compared to my nonexistent one, it is better than nothing.

"This isn't only about your family, Katniss," Madge says softly. "It's about everyone. Time is running out."

Suddenly, I hear the doorbell ring from downstairs. I peer over the railing. Then I stumble backwards in fear. Gale catches me and asks me frantically, "What did you see?"

"The Capitol's soldiers," I whisper. "They've found us."

*****

Gale and Madge react quickly.

"Did you see any weapons on them? How many are there?" Madge asks.

"There are three," I say. "I didn't see any weapons."

Then we hear someone talking from downstairs.

"Excuse me, sir, the Capitol has reason to believe that there are four fugitives that broke into your house, and are hiding."

"What? That's preposterous." says a male voice, laughing. The Mayor. Then, he raises his voice a bit, shouting, "Go ahead. Search the house! I'm sure you won't find any four criminals hiding in secret tunnels or hiding spots!"

Tunnels! We could escape the same way we came in.

"Come on!" Gale whispers. "We have to leave now!"

Gale starts gathering the plans back into the box, and we start running down the hallway.

Then… I remember Peeta.

"Wait!" I whisper frantically. "They're going to be looking for Peeta as well! We can't leave him behind!"

"He's injured!" Madge whispers back. "He'll slow us down!"

"Please Gale!" I plead, grabbing onto his arm, and pulling him towards Peeta's door. He exchanges glances, and sighs, opening the door, and going in. He grabs Peeta, whose eyes are wide open in shock, and slings him over his shoulders as we run down the hallway. We follow Gale down an unfamiliar staircase, leading to a locked door.

"Take the key out of my left pocket!" he says hastily, and I do so, drawing out a large silver key, and unlocking the door.

A small flight of stairs are revealed. The stairs that lead down to the dimly lit room with crates that leads to the tunnel. We run to the rope ladder at the other end of the room, and I unlock the door at the top, after scrambling up. Peeta struggles up the ladder after me. Madge kicks a few boxes over, and lifts up four canvas backpacks with the tops of sleeping bags sticking up from the top. She tosses them one by one up to me. Gale helps Madge up the ladder, and follows right behind her.

We crawl back up the dark tunnel. We tie our backpacks onto our ankles, and drag them along behind us, since the ceiling of the tunnel is too low to carry them on our backs. We arrive at the pile of leaves at the end of the tunnel, and I look up to see the trapdoor. It feels good to stand up, even though this section of the tunnel is small. We untie our backpacks, and throw them onto our backs. Madge leads us up another rope ladder and we all crouch behind the bush in the darkness.

"Which way?" I ask.

"We have to go to the Seam," Gale says, "and out the fence into the woods. There's a train track there that leads to the Capitol."

"But… that'll take forever! I don't think we have enough supplies to last us that long," I protest.

"Here," Madge says, thrusting something at me. It's my mockingjay pin. I had left it, when we had first arrived at the Mayor's house in my dresser, and I haven't looked at it since.

"How's this supposed to help us?" I ask.

Madge takes the golden pin back, and then pries open a tiny compartment on the back, revealing a tiny button over a small piece of metal netting, smaller than my fingernail.

"It's a communication device," she whispers. "My dad got this planted into your pin after you arrived. We have Rebels in each district, and they will come through their fence to give you supplies if you ask. Tell them who you are, and they will help."

Suddenly, we hear rustling a few hundred feet ahead, across the road. We crouch down lower, and I hold my breath.

"Madge and I will go check that out," Gale mutters quietly. "You and Peeta stay here."

They take their backpacks off, and inch quietly out from the bush, and disappear down the road in the darkness. Suddenly, lights come on from where I was just looking. I gasp when I see Gale and Madge struggling, being held by Capitol soldiers.

"Where are they?" a rough voice demands. "Where are the victors?"

I am frozen in shock. Peeta looks at me, his eyes wide with horror.

"What should we do?" he whispers.

"We can't do anything," I say. "They'll see us if we move around too much."

I look around, and directly behind me, I see a tree with broad, low, leafy branches. Perfect.

"Follow me!" I say to Peeta. "We have to get up there."

I leave Madge and Gale's packs behind the bush, and cover them with leaves. I crawl around the trunk of the tree, carefully avoiding thick patches of crisp leaves, and glancing behind me to make sure that Peeta does the same. Quietly, I climb up, helping Peeta as best I can. I can't drag him to the top of the tree, so I stop just before halfway. From this hiding spot, I watch helplessly as Madge and Gale, now covered in blood, are dragged into a van, and driven away.

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**AN: Good? Could be a lot better? Tell me why in a review? (remember... no flames) :) If you spotted any grammar/spelling stuffs that could be fixed, let me know. How was the stuff between Peeta and Katniss? Did I overdo it? That's the first time I've attempted a romance-y type thing, so feedback or tips on that kind of stuff would help a lot. I'm not sure when the next time I can update is; school in Canada starts on Tuesday... and I'm pretty nervous for it (gee, guess what grade I'm going into? :P)**

**Plus... huge favour? **

**SukhiPukhi and I (for an English project back in June) made a Hunger Games movie trailer with our all female group, which I put on Youtube, and I'd like to get some feedback on that from someone besides my teacher and our classmates. If you have time, maybe some of you can watch it, rate it, and comment? Thanks :)  
**

http:*//www*.you*tube*.com*/watch?v=331YjL_lMsA

**Copy and paste that into your browser, but get rid of the five *s :)  
**

**Thanks for all your support!(L)**


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